Network function virtualization (NFV) uses virtualization technologies to consolidate network equipment into industry standard hardware, with goals of achieving cost reduction, and efficient/agile network operation and performance. Generally, NFV separates network functions from the hardware they run on by use of virtual hardware abstraction, and seeks to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may be connected or chained together to create communication services.
In NFV, virtualized network functions (VNFs) are initiated to handle specific network functions that run on one or more virtual machines (VMs) on top of a hardware networking infrastructure. Individual virtual network functions may be connected or combined together as building blocks to offer a full-scale network service. Development of apparatuses and methods for implementing and managing virtualized network functions (VNFs) is critical and desirable.